WHICH BRACES ARE RIGHT FOR YOU?

New materials, technology and experience have led to the development of different braces that can be used in orthodontic treatment. To better help you decide on the best braces for you, we have summarised below what we think are the main advantages and disadvantages of each.




Conventional (Stainless Steel) Braces – these are the mainstay of orthodontic practices. They require something to hold the wire in the braces. These are either wire ties or elastic ties (O-rings). The O-rings are coloured so you can customize your Braces.







Ceramic (Tooth coloured) Braces – these are bulkier to give strength and can cause more discomfort to the lips. Generally they are only placed on the upper teeth. If placed on the lower teeth, they can wear away the upper teeth.





Self-Ligating Braces (Smartclip) – Self-Ligating Braces do not need O-rings or wire-ties to hold the wire in. These have certain advantages over conventional or ceramic braces, mainly less discomfort (due to lower forces), less appointments are necessary in total, treatment duration maybe reduced and it is easier to clean your teeth, which reduces the risk of decay or gum disease.

Lingual Braces – Lingual Braces are attached to the inside surface of the teeth. These braces are technically difficult, they take longer during each visit and longer in total treatment time. They are therefore more than twice as expensive as braces on the lip surface of the teeth. They certainly do have great aesthetics but can be quite uncomfortable, especially to the tongue.



Clear Removable Aligners (Invisalign) – Invisalign is a relatively new technique. A series of clear removable aligners are worn to move the teeth. These appliances move the teeth a very small amount each time. Invisalign is made in the USA. They are quite expensive being up to twice the cost of normal braces. It is not possible to treat every case with Invisalign. In fact, only those people in their late teens and above are candidates. Invisalign has the advantage of being removable, however, this can also be a disadvantage as they then must be worn for tooth movement to occur.

If you would like more information about each of these options, please ask at the front or reception desk. Alternately, you will find lots of useful information on the following websites:

www.braces.org – American Association of Orthodontists
www.aso.org.au – Australian Society of Orthodontics

So, which is right for you?
It is important to remember these different Braces are merely tools to enable us to create the ideal smile for you. So the decision, in most cases, is up to you!